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6 Must-Have Items for Your Carry-On Bag

Packing “light” when traveling is a near-impossible task for most of us, but condensing your carry-on down to a handful of essentials doesn’t have to be hard! In partnership with Travelan — our go-to supplement for preventing traveler’s diarrhea — we’ve collected a few of the most basic travel necessities.

Aside from the obvious passport, credit cards & chargers for electronics, here are 6 items we never leave home without!

6 Must-Have Items for Your Carry-On Bag

Antibacterial Wipes

Odds are, you don’t sanitize your hands and everything in your home on a daily basis — and that’s fine! I believe a little exposure to germs builds a stronger immune system.

However, planes can be breeding for illness-causing bacteria. Your own suitcase can even come in contact with roughly 80 million bacteria while traveling. It’s a good idea to keep these on hand whenever you want to wipe anything down or to wash your hands when there’s no soap and water available. I highly recommend buying these biodegradable antibacterial wipes because they are better for the environment!

Travelan

An immune system that’s resistant to domestic germs may not hold up to foreign bacteria, but smart preparation with Travelan can save you from uncomfortable — and often untimely — side effects of contaminated food and water. Travelan is an OTC (over the counter) traveler’s diarrhea preventative that is formulated to be high in antibodies to help maintain digestive health while traveling.

Cramps, bloating, and frequent trips to the bathroom can be avoided with a single caplet of this clinically-tested and proven highly effective natural supplement before meals. Travelan is not an antibiotic and it’s available in easy-to-digest caplet form. We pack this along on all of our trips — even if we’re not traveling outside of the country.

Our friends at Travelan have taken all the inconveniences of questionable foreign (and domestic) food and environments into consideration when creating the perfect all-in-one digestive aid. Always keep your carry-on supplied with 10-day supply of Travelan for bacteria protection and happy, healthy traveling!

Hydrating Lotion & Lip Balm

The lack of humidity in recycled plane air can leave you and your skin more dehydrated than you might expect. Keep moisturizing body lotion on hand, as well as lip balm.

Looking to save space? I use contact cases to store small amounts of lotion, or use a 2-in-1 product like organic coconut oil as both a lip balm and skin moisturizer.

Warm Clothes

Regardless of where you’re headed, you should have an article or two of warm clothing on hand for the airplane ride there.

A thermal cardigan is a great space-saver that can easily be used in-flight and can withstand cool temperatures. A light scarf is also a great addition to your bag for added style and warmth; you can even tie it to your bag handle for ease of access!

Snacks

Light, healthy snacks — sans liquids or sauces — are always one of the last things I pack on my carry-on. Pre made or packaged snacks from the airport are pricey and most often of poor quality ingredients, and the in-flight food is even worse. Packing protein bars, almonds, and dried fruit will likely be able to hold you over until you arrive at your destination.

I’d also suggest bringing along an empty collapsible water bottle that can fill after you pass through security; not only will it save money, but it takes up minimal space in your bag.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

The instances where noise-cancelling headphones may come in handy while traveling are endless, but did you know they can also reduce stress and adrenaline produced by low-frequency jet noise? The feeling of exhaustion or headaches that may occur after a flight can be reduced or even completely prevented with a quality pair of these headphones.

While traveling and experiencing new things is exciting, getting to and from a new destination can be taxing on your body. Packing these essential items on your next trip will make those long travel days so much easier!

Check out our favorite travel essentials!

Christy Woodrow is a travel photographer and professional blogger based in San Diego. She has been traveling around the world with her partner in crime, Scott, since 2006. Join them in their quest to find off-the-beaten-path destinations by signing up for weekly emails and following her on Instagram.

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Welcome to our adventure travel blog! We are Christy and Scott and we've been traveling the world together since 2006. Our goal is to inspire others to live an adventurous life, as well as provide trip ideas and helpful travel tips for people with limited vacation time.